Post-Game Talk: GAME #40: Canucks def. Oilers - 4-2 (Motte, Boeser, Pettersson, Roussel)

[Mr. Canucklehead]

After a game where we were the better team and a lost, seems about fitting that we were the lesser team and won. Canucks let the Oilers dictate the pace and flow of the game for much of it. Markstrom was huge once again, we capitalized on our chances, and I thought that the Beagle/Roussel/Motte line did a terrific job as a whole tonight.

Markstrom playing the best hockey of his career right now. Really, really solid and his ability to play the puck and thus neuter the opposition forecheck is key.

Pettersson with another world class shot to go along with a sublime setup to Boeser - he got himself into some trouble later overplaying the puck, but he was dangerous all night. Wish he’d succeeded in sucking Draisatl into a penalty.

Edler/Tanev were fantastic tonight. The rest of the defense was less fantastic - everyone else struggled to make the right play tonight, whether it was a simple zone clear / exit, or not passing the puck right up the gut. A lot of defensive brain cramps tonight that should have Nolan Baumgartner sitting down with the guys to watch some tape.

Gaudette definitely Utica bound when Sutter gets back. He’s got good wheels and gets himself into the zone, but needs to work on creating space between himself and the defender to get a shot or a pass off. Right now is playing too close of a gap and getting stick checked rather easily.

Tyler Motte having a Fred J. Hume Award worthy season. All hustle and heart - did a lot of great work all over the ice tonight. Reminded me of Jannik Hansen in his hayday.

Thrilled to beat the Oilers as always - hope the team plays a better game as a whole next time out.

 

[Var]

How does draisaitl have 43 points. He sucks.

No he doesn't. He's a decent playmaker and pairing him with McDavid works well.

I want EP40 out there with an empty net please.

But of course I’ll get Beagle , Eriksson , Motte

EP out there when we're focused on defense. That doesn't make sense.

 

[EpochLink]

I'm not sure HItchcock is the right coach for the oilers, I think their big issue is not being able to manufacture offence outside of McDavid.

But of course he will do his usual thing and shore up the defence. But at the end of the day I don't think that it solves the long-term issues on the OIlers.

Hitchcock teams usually have great defense, Oilers lack that big time.
There is no Hatcher/Pieterangelo/Zubov on this team...and he's over playing McDavid way too much.

 

[kanuck87]

Hitchcock teams usually have great defense, Oilers lack that big time.
There is no Hatcher/Pieterangelo/Zubov on this team...and he's over playing McDavid way too much.

He has to overplay McDavid. The team is terrible when he's not on the ice.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Coaching is not the issue in Edmonton anymore. That excuse is long overused.

McLellan is a damn good coach and he got fired. The issue is the player acquisition. The Hall trade alone is a fireable offense. Pissing away a productive forward in Jordan Eberle was bad, too. Giving up those picks for Griffin Reinhart. Going all in on Cam Talbot as a starter. And screwing the Development of Puljujaarvi so quickly after screwing up Yakupov...outside of Nurse, there’s no one I would want off their defense.

Take McDavid off that team, and it’s utterly terrifying how terrible they would be.

 

[CherryToke]

No he doesn't. He's a decent playmaker and pairing him with McDavid works well.

8.5 mil and needs to be paired with McDavid to produce anything. I'd take Horvat over his overpaid lazy ass.

 

[valkynax]

McLellan is a damn good coach and he got fired. The issue is the player acquisition. The Hall trade alone is a fireable offense. Pissing away a productive forward in Jordan Eberle was bad, too. Giving up those picks for Griffin Reinhart. Going all in on Cam Talbot as a starter. And screwing the Development of Puljujaarvi so quickly after screwing up Yakupov...outside of Nurse, there’s no one I would want off their defense.

Take McDavid off that team, and it’s utterly terrifying how terrible they would be.

If nothing changes I feel the next step up will be McDavid demanding a trade while flipping double bird to Chiarelli.

 

[Cupless44]

I remember all the crying in here when people wanted a 4th or 5th rounder instead of Motte. Wah...
Just like all the crying when they signed the 3 UFA's - "they are going to take away ice time from the young guys". Which young guys have they taken away ice time from? Gaunce? LOL. yeah, Gaunce, the advanced stats king (just cos he was a grand master Gillis pick).

Roussel looking solid. Motte winning battles all over the place. Great pickups by "dim jim".

Easy there. Schaller is just a poor player and brutal signing. Beagle in year 3 and 4 won't be pretty. And when Sutter comes back there will be veterans in the way of Gaudette.

Eriksson, Del Zotto, Gagner were not good signings.

Roussel his first decent signing.

 

[EpochLink]

8.5 mil and needs to be paired with McDavid to produce anything. I'd take Horvat over his overpaid lazy ass.

Reminds me when Tomas Kaberle was paid like 5 million dollars 'just to pass the puck' to Bryan McCabe on the PP. McCabe was a good offensive defensemen but he was a wreck defensively, Kaberle was the better overall player.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I liked the Beagle’s game. He really has been a great addition when healthy.

 

[mossey3535]

re-watched 1st period, 4th line had like half the energy starting in the 2nd...

 

[Hit the post]

Reminds me when Tomas Kaberle was paid like 5 million dollars 'just to pass the puck' to Bryan McCabe on the PP. McCabe was a good offensive defensemen but he was a wreck defensively, Kaberle was the better overall player.

I actually think McCabe was 3rd or 4th in Norris trophy voting one season (that should tell you how much offense holds a premium).

 

[Hit the post]

McLellan is a damn good coach and he got fired. The issue is the player acquisition. The Hall trade alone is a fireable offense. Pissing away a productive forward in Jordan Eberle was bad, too. Giving up those picks for Griffin Reinhart. Going all in on Cam Talbot as a starter. And screwing the Development of Puljujaarvi so quickly after screwing up Yakupov...outside of Nurse, there’s no one I would want off their defense.

Take McDavid off that team, and it’s utterly terrifying how terrible they would be.

Has no idea of how to build a blueline...hmmmm....sounds familiar (but at least we have Hughes coming up from the pipeline.

 

[kanuck87]

Lol this team is a point out of a playoff spot (albeit with two more games played than the Stars)

 

[Hit the post]

Lol this team is a point out of a playoff spot (albeit with two more games played than the Stars)

You have to suck REALLY bad to be out of a realistic shot at a playoff spot at this point in the season (eg., Torts Canucks were still in a playoff spot thru much of January).

 

[WetcoastOrca]

McDavid with points on 52.4% of the Oilers goals this year. That is a bad team with an amazing player.

 

[EpochLink]

I actually think McCabe was 3rd or 4th in Norris trophy voting one season (that should tell you how much offense holds a premium).

2003-2004 season I believe, what most I remember that year was his awful game 5 performance against Philadelphia in the playoffs.

 

[EpochLink]

McDavid with points on 52.4% of the Oilers goals this year. That is a bad team with an amazing player.

The 2001-2002 Calgary Flames with Iginla pretty much being their offense, along side Conroy and McCammond.

 

[kanuck87]

You have to suck REALLY bad to be out of a realistic shot at a playoff spot at this point in the season (eg., Torts Canucks were still in a playoff spot thru much of January).

Agreed. However, I didn't think we'd be this close.

 

[mossey3535]

Hitchcock teams usually have great defense, Oilers lack that big time.
There is no Hatcher/Pieterangelo/Zubov on this team...and he's over playing McDavid way too much.

Yeah he doesn't have that stud d-man really on this team. But it would be ok if he came in and tightened everything up....obviously that will improve things but he also has to be able to get something out of the other forward lines which I don't think he has a good history of.

That Dallas team was airtight defensively and had a good goalie but in that era they were also scoring 3 goals per game in the dead puck era. That was a result of personnel not system and I've seen it play out on every team he's been on.

 

[DL44]

I love how McDavid's pregame comments about us only able to score on the PP comes back instantly for him and his team..

Beautiful.

 

[mossey3535]

The long-term issues for the Oilers are that their prospect pool is garbage and they are capped out for the next couple of seasons. They basically have no means to improve their currently mediocre team unless they want to start trading their 1st round picks, which would be a really bad idea.

Fair enough. That's a lot of my fear for the Canucks, since we keep overpaying for things. If you look at some of our bloated contracts IMO they are the wrong timeframe considering some of the players we will have to pay to keep in the near future.

 

[Cancuks]

We have poor depth but shockingly Edmonton's is even worse. McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent Hopkins and a bunch of 4th liners and AHL types. Won't be long till Chiarelli is canned.

 

[EpochLink]

Lucic played 12 minutes and a -2.
This guy does not fit the Oilers system.

 

[DL44]

Another great defensive hold.

McDavid is a beast of a player that we barely held in check... puck luck and team effort in our favor.

I honestly wonder how McDavid's teammates feel about themselves...


Some team out there needs to snag Tobias Reider from the Oilers...
I really liked him as a yote and had hoped we targeted last July 1st... but man is he completely floundering there... zero goals? With his speed?Past production and versatility? Insane.